


Seven Years

by QueenofNerds21



Series: Stereky Goodness [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Mate Stiles Stilinski, BAMF Isaac Lahey, BAMF Stiles, Bad Friend Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Domestic Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Family, Fluff and Angst, Good Alpha Derek Hale, Hurt Derek, Hurt Stiles Stilinski, Married Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Mates Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Multi, Stiles Hale - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 20:48:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30145413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofNerds21/pseuds/QueenofNerds21
Summary: Seven years ago Stiles left Beacon Hills in the middle of the night. To them he was nothing more than a murderer now, they wouldn't even listen to him. No word for seven years, they last they heard Derek had torn out of town in search for him.Seven years later the Sheriff responds to a shooting in progress, what he finds is an unconscious alpha on the floor, a bleeding passenger and a screaming baby in the back. The past has finally caught up to them.
Relationships: Cora Hale/Isaac Lahey, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: Stereky Goodness [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185926
Comments: 5
Kudos: 415





	Seven Years

“246 in progress on South Parnell Road.”

The Sheriff had the lights on and pulled out of the diner before the dispatcher had even finished talking. In the passenger’s seat, Parrish was talking back to dispatch at the station to gather the additional information on the incident. It wasn’t uncommon to get calls of shootings in the town these days. For years they were in a constant battle with hunters but of late, things had seemed to be quiet. Compared to when this all started, there was more people in on their secret, selected and trusted deputies working side by side with McCall pack.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive on scene but from the state of it they knew the hunters were long gone. Jumping out the patrol car gun raised just in case, Noah indicated for Parrish to check the car while he made his way to the victim on the floor. For a second Noah was almost thankful it appeared to be unrelated to werewolf business until he reached the man on the ground. The man was sprawled across the road, one arm reached out towards the opposite side of the car. It was the dark stubble along the jaw and leather jacket that caused the pit in Noah’s stomach.

Reaching out, eyes constantly scanning the area, Noah carefully rolled the man onto his back, revealing the multiple bullet holes across his upper body. Acting quickly, he ripped off his own jacket and pushed it harshly down on the worst of the bleeding to stem it. Daring to look at the man’s face, Noah’s stomach dropped as he instantly recognised the man.

“Derek!” Noah shouted using one hand to try and raise the man from his unconscious state.

Eyes flickering to a wound on Derek’s arm, he knew each bullet had been coated in wolfsbane. Before he could spiral further, Parrish yelled out from the car.

“Sheriff!”

Noah knew what, or who he had found. After all these years, he never felt this kind of fear in his life. Another deputy had arrived on scene and quickly took over with Derek’s wound. Once he could move from his position on the ground, Noah was.

Without a glance back as more deputies and EMT’s arrived on scene, Noah rushed to where Parrish’s voice had come from. Coming to a halting stop at the open passenger door, Noah forced a steadying breath.

“Stiles,” Noah called, supporting his sons head in case on neck injury, “Stiles can you hear me?”

Seven years, it had been seven years since Noah had seen his son, since any one in Beacon Hills had seen his son. He had prayed nearly nightly that Stiles would come back home after everything that went down. This is not what he had prayed for.

Stiles had changed a lot in the last seven years. Instead of soft edges to his face, it was sharp and defined. He hair was longer and fallen into his eyes from the crash. He wasn’t the 17-year-old Noah had last seen, he was now 24 who had forged his own path.

Eyes flickering over his son’s body, he saw the only injury appeared to be his head wound that was bleeding profusely. Trying to assure himself that head wounds always bleed a lot, Noah concluded that from the state the side of the car was in, something had run into them. The crash knocking Stiles’ unconscious. Titling his head to the side, he saw Derek getting loaded up by EMTs and he knew the werewolf had been trying to get to his son when he had been shot down multiple times. From the amount of wounds, he saw briefly on Derek, Noah knew he had put up a fight.

They didn’t know where Stiles ended up, but they always hoped that Stiles had wound up with Derek. None of the Hales had been seen in the seven years either and Noah took that as a sign his hopes had been true.

A high-pitched cry drew Noah out of his thoughts sharply, his eyes darting to the back seat of the SUV. He fought to keep his jaw closed as he watched Parrish carefully extract a baby into his arms. From what he could see they were uninjured and protected from the crash.

Eyes darting back to his son, Noah gasped, “Oh son!”

For the next few minutes, the Sheriff couldn’t do anything but watch as EMTs took over assessing his son and loading him up into his own ambulance. Derek was loaded into one, Stiles into another and Parrish carrying the baby was being led towards Stiles’ ambulance by the EMTs. As Sheriff he knew he should stay on the scene, but he couldn’t leave his son, not again after all the time. Jumping into his patrol car, he turned his lights and siren on and cleared the traffic for the two-ambulance following closely.

It didn’t take long for the hospital to come into view and the two ambulances came to a quick stop. Following closely behind the two gurneys carrying the men, Noah tried to steady his racing heart as he watched his son get wheeled away from him again.

Melissa and David -Liam’s stepfather- were running to the gurneys as they were pushed through the emergency doors. It didn’t take either of them very long to assess the situation quickly or to work out who they were seeing.

“Stiles!” Melissa yelled in shock as she ran directly to his gurney checking him over.

David had pulled everyone to a stop for a second to look over their injuries and decide what to do next.

“Melissa focus!” David snapped his eyes recognising wolfsbane around Derek’s wounds, “Melissa with me we’re going to trauma one, Dr. Fray with Stiles in room three.”

Noah watched as Stiles was rushed away in one direction and Derek in another. He knew why Melissa was with Derek and not Stiles, but he wished someone that knew his son was with him. Out the corner of his eyes he would see Parrish being led away with a nurse, the baby still in his arms.

Any other day he minds would be trying to work out what was going on, but he couldn’t get his mind away from his son. After all the time, this is how he got his son back. Pulling his phone out he sent out the emergency code to the McCall pack before he started pacing the waiting room trying to piece together what had gone down in the last 15 minutes.

15 minutes, that is all that had gone past from getting the dispatch alert to finding his son and then watching him get rushed away by a team of doctors.

He wasn’t waiting alone for long. He wasn’t sure how long it had been, but soon enough Scott and Lydia crashed though the emergency doors heading straight for the Sheriff. Lydia’s eyes flickered across him checking him for injuries and smiled in relief when she didn’t find any. Noah swallowed his tears knowing she wouldn’t be smiling when she heard the truth.

“What happened?” Scott asked confused, in the distance he could hear multiple doctors running around, his mom included but he couldn’t hear exactly what they were saying. “We heard there was a shooting?”

“It was hunters,” Noah informed them crossing his arms as an anchor.

Lydia frowned pulling her phone out, “But the pack is all accounted for? You sure it was hunters?”

“Hunter’s don’t go after humans,” Scott added pulling on each pack bond to check on his betas.

“You two should take a seat,” Noah informed them, his tone void of emotion. Neither of two moved. “It’s Derek.”

Lydia’s jaw dropped, “Derek? You sure?”

Looking like Scott was about to make a move to track down his old friend, Noah jumped in quickly, “And Stiles.”

Silence.

Watching the pair closely, the Sheriff could see nearly every emotion cross their faces. Scott’s eyes flashing for a second and Lydia stumbled into a seat.

A trembling hand came up to her mouth as she tried to control the emotional turmoil inside, “Stiles? Stiles is back?”

“It’s been seven years,” Scott voice cracked as he spoke. He didn’t move to look Lydia in the eye. After all this time, Lydia still held a hatred for what happened. If it wasn’t for the rest of the pack, Scott was sure she would have found a way to kill him for what happened.

“Lydia are you-”

She cut Noah off, “No, I don’t need to scream. Why did he come back? Why after all this time? He said he would never come back.”

Quickly swiping at his eyes, Noah turned to her, “There was a baby in the back seat, can’t be older than 2 months. They were taken to the NICU.”

That broke the wall and the tears were falling. Lydia didn’t make a noise as she cried and neither man moved to comfort her. They both knew she would not react well to either them if they did.

****

Stiles didn’t know how long he was sat outside Lydia’s house. He didn’t even know why he drove here and not just got straight on the highway and far far away from Beacon Hills.

They didn’t believe him. After everything they been through, they didn’t believe him. They thought he was a murderer.

He’d been beaten up. He’d nearly died. He had lost his mind. He had been possessed but watching his best friend lose faith in him; that was the moment he broke. Watching his father have the same reaction, that was the moment he was shattered.

He ignored his father as he threw together a bag, had ignored his pleads to come back. No it didn’t matter now, Stiles had seen the look on his father’s face when he told him. He didn’t think, he just drove away leaving his dad alone outside their house.

A sharp knocking on his window pulled him from his thoughts. Moving his head to the side, he saw Lydia wrapped in a blanket looking at him concerned. Wiping away the traces of his tears, Stiles climbed out of the car, leaning back against the closed door.

“Stiles what are you doing here?” Lydia asked softly, a small frown on her face.

Coughing to clear his throat, Stiles tried to swallow all emotion, “I’m leaving.”

“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Lydia asked sharply taking a step towards him.

To her shock, Stiles held out a hand stopping her, and he shuffled to the side away from her.

“Just that, I’m leaving.”

“Stiles you can’t just leave. What about school?”

He scoffed softly, “After everything we have been through, you think school is a priority anymore?”

Watching him closely, Lydia could see the tears well up. When she approached the car earlier, she could see the destroyed look on her best friends face and tears tracks staining his cheeks.

“Did something happen Sti?”

“I’m sure you’ll hear soon enough,” Stiles sneered ignoring her hurt expression.

“Where will you go?”

“No idea,” Stiles tried to smirk but failed.

“For how long?”

“I’m not coming back Lyds.”

Seeing him moving back towards his car, Lydia knew she couldn’t stop him and even understand what had happened. Ignoring his earlier behaviour, she quickly closed the gap between them and threw her arms around the boy.

Stiles froze under her sudden movement before slowly bring his arms around her waist holding her close.

“Goodbye Lydia.”

She didn’t get a chance to reply as Stiles within a blink of an eye had himself extracted from her hold and back in the jeep. He didn’t hesitate to quickly pull it out on the road and speed of in the cold night.

Thumbling for her phone she pulled up the contact and pressed dial, her eyes still on the road the jeep had disappeared down.

_“Lydia,” Scott huffed, “now isn’t a great time.”_

That told her she was right.

“Stiles is gone,” Lydia snapped angrily. “What did you do Scott McCall?!”

****

The rest of the time passed in silence, down the corridor they can see nurses and doctors going in and out of the rooms. Each time less urgent so the three of them took it as a good sign. At one point another nurse at the front desk was calling another hospital and someone else. Each time Scott picked up on Stiles’ and Derek’s names but none of them get to hear any more of the situation. Just before they each are about to snap and demand an update, Melissa appeared heading back towards them.

Holding her hands up to stop their questions, she came to a stop in front of them.

“I technically can’t tell you anything,” she started with a strained smile, “I’ve been told their emergency contact is on their way. All I can say is they are both stable for now, but we are concerned about Derek. I called Deaton and he’s heading across.”

“Wolfsbane?” Lydia asked standing back up.

“Another special blend we think,” Melissa nodded.

“But they will be okay? Sheriff said Stiles was unconscious,” Scott whispered picking at the skin on his arm.

“Like I said they are stable,” Melissa replied carefully, “I would have told you sooner but it took me awhile to track down Stiles medical records to make sure he had no other conditions in the time he has been gone.”

Noah frowned, “Why couldn’t you find them?”

Melissa grimaced for a second. As a nurse she knew she couldn’t say anything else but as a parent she was struggling not to. She knew who was on their way and it was bound to come out when they arrived anyway.

“Stiles’ last name isn’t Stilinski,” Melissa finally revealed watching the three of them carefully, “It’s Hale.”

Lydia was shaking again, “Derek?”

“Stiles’ husband,” Melissa concluded for her.

It appeared it was just one shock after another that day. None of them knew what to do with all this new information. Scott had spent the last seven years guilt ridden as had Noah, but Lydia had just wanted her best friends. She didn’t release how much she missed him until that moment. Her best friend had gotten married and she didn’t even know. She didn’t blame Stiles; she knew why he had done it but she just wished she had fought harder to find him.

Lydia was about to ask about the baby’s condition when the hospital doors slammed against the wall. The four of them watched in shock as Peter Hale frantically ran into the hospital heading straight for the nurse’s desk. In his rush, his senses didn’t even pick up on the others watching him.

“Stiles and Derek Hale, I was told they brought here?” Peter all but demanded from the unfazed nurse. She was the same one who had rang him and knew he would be in panic when he arrived from the way he abruptly ended the call.

Before the nurse had the chance to reply to him, Noah shook of the confirmation of his son’s relationship status and moved quickly to Peter. They hadn’t seen Peter in just as long and the last they saw them he was less than stable.

“Peter,” Noah called carefully and was surprised to see despite the fear in his eyes, Peter was more in control of his wolf than Scott was at the moment, “They are both stable, let’s talk over here.”

His eyes flickering over the humans around them, Peter allowed himself to be directed to where Melissa, Scott and Lydia stood. He only acknowledged Lydia and Melissa’s presence; the last thing they needed right now is for Peter to follow through on his promise he made six years ago to kill Scott if he ever saw him again.

“What happened?” Peter demanded crossing his arms across his chest, blue eyes flashing.

“Stiles is unconscious following a head trauma. He’s stable and we think he will wake on his own, but we are sending him for CT scan just in case,” Melissa stated gently but to the point, “Derek has multiple bullets wounds. Deaton is on his way with different wolfsbane so until then he isn’t healing. We stopped the bleeding, but he has lost a lot of blood even for an Alpha.”

“An Alpha? Since when?” Scott broke in. Peter growled dangerously at him.

Melissa shot her son a pointed look, “Even unconscious his eyes are red, the wolfsbane is stopping him from healing or shifting back.”

“Hunters then,” Peter grabbed his own phone out as he shot of multiple text messages.

Noah nodded grimly, “Parrish headed back to the scene with Chris to try and find them.”

“I told them they shouldn’t have come back alone,” Peter snapped to himself running a hand through his hair.

“Why did they come back? Why now after all these years?” Lydia tired to ask gently but frowned when Peter’s head shot up a renewed fear in his eyes.

“Claudia!” Peter only had eyes on Melissa, he didn’t see Noah pale or the other two gasp. “Where’s Claudia? Where’s my niece?”

Melissa reached out to anchor him, “She’s is perfectly fine, she was protected from the crash. She’s in the NICU until she can be discharged to a family member.”

“I can go get her?” Peter asked already looking for signs for the NICU.

“Since her parents are unconscious, your next of kin. Third floor, corridor to the right will take you to the NICU. They know you were coming,” Melissa informed him before she turned to head back towards Stiles and Derek’s rooms.

Peter was already moving out of the waiting room towards the lift when Lydia called out to him.

“Peter!” She waited for him to turn his head around, “Can I see Stiles?”

Swallowing a laugh, Peter wouldn’t had even try and stop her even if she didn’t ask, “Of course Lydia, he’s missed you.”

With that Peter disappeared in the lift leaving the three of them behind.

Lydia didn’t look back at the other two men with her as she confidently made her way down the same corridor Melissa took. Noah eyes watched her, and he made a move to follow, shooting Scott a questioning look.

“I think it’s best if I didn’t,” Scott swallowed roughly, his eyes still on the elevator doors Peter disappeared behind.

Nodding in understanding, Noah took off after Lydia and it didn’t take him long to find his son’s room. Looking in from the doorway he saw his son laid unconscious on top of the bed. Stiles was still wearing the same close from before, but the blood had been wiped from his face and a white gauze covered the side of his forehead, his hair sticking out at odd angles. Noah didn’t venture into the room, finding himself glued on the other side of the doorway.

He watched as Lydia compose herself moving to sit gently on the side of Stiles’ bed, a hand coming up to gently calm his hair.

“Oh Stiles,” Lydia whispered, “what have you gotten yourself into now? I know you like dramatic entrances, but this is a bit much even for you.”

She sat quietly for a moment taking into the new Stiles in front of her. He looked so different and so similar at the same time. She could see what the years had done to him, but it looked like he had fallen on his feet after he left. Seven years she had worried about him, she was thankful to see it hadn’t all been bad. Hell, he had married Derek fricking Hale and one cpuld only assume the baby Peter rushed to get was his. Her best friend was married and a father. Seven years had changed a lot.

Lydia grabbed his hand tightly in hers, bringing it up to her chest.

“I have missed you so much Sti, I wish you told me what happened all those years ago. I should never have let you leave my driveaway, I shouldn’t have let you driveaway from me. I remember when Derek found out what happened to you, he left town in a matter of hours. I always hoped he would find you and I can see he did.

You need to wake up Sti so you can tell me how you ended up as his husband! I am sure that’s a tale I would love to hear. I’ll make you a deal, you tell me about Derek and tell you about how I’ve made Scott’s life a living hell. Come back to us Stiles so I can meet your kid okay? Okay?”

She felt a hand laid gently on her shoulder and she jumped looking up at Melissa stood beside her.

“We’re going take Stiles for a CT now,” Melissa informed her, “If the scans come back clear, he should be waking up soon.”

Nodding silently, Lydia placed a gentle kiss to Stiles’ hand before settling it back down on the bed. Walking back out the room, she saw Noah watching her and flashed him a small smile before heading back to the waiting room.

Just as she walked in, she found Scott sat with his head in his hands and Peter holding the baby exiting the elevators opposite.

“They have taken Stiles for a CT,” Lydia informed them both as she walked in. Scott didn’t move but Peter hummed in acknowledgment.

“I can hear Deaton with Derek,” Peter said his eyes not moving from his niece buddled up in his arms.

Lydia debated with herself for a second before she took slow careful steps towards him, “Is she okay?”

Peter watched her for a second calculating before he relaxed slightly, “She’s fine, she doesn’t like all the new scents.”

Now closer to them, Lydia could see the distress on the babies face as she quietly whimpered. “Guess it doesn’t help the separation from her parents and the scents.”

“Werewolf babies are a whole other ball game,” Peter tried to joke but it fell flat, “You can come closer. Stiles and Derek won’t mind.”

Relaxing now she heard the words; Lydia closed the remaining distance but didn’t reach to touch the child. The baby was already overwhelmed enough with the new smells and sights.

“Parrish found this in their car,” Scott spoke softly titling his head to indicate to the diaper bag on the chair beside him, “He dropped it off a few minutes ago.”

Peter didn’t say anything to the other man but did nod in acknowledgement. Out the corner of his eyes, he saw Noah walk back into the waiting room. He didn’t get a chance for say anything to reassure the Sheriff when for the fourth time the hospital doors swung open but with less force than the others.

The final shock had arrived and once again three of their jaws dropped. Running towards them was Isaac and a heavily pregnant Cora, both of them ignoring and focusing on Peter.

“We got here as fast as we could,” Cora spoke breathing heavily.

“And I told you to take it easy niece,” Peter rolled his eyes, calmed with more of the pack around him.

Isaac scoffed and reached for the baby who Peter happily handed across, “She okay?”

“She’s fine, she was wearing a protection charm which I think helped,” Peter replied his eyes only then flickering to the other adults in the room for a moment.

Cora reached out running a gently finger over her niece’s check, “Any more news?”

“Not since the text sent five minutes ago.”

“Don’t get snappy with me uncle,” Cora glared but without heat.

Isaac growled for a second, “Can you too behave for one minute?”

Neither of the Hales responded but they didn’t say anything else instead.

Looking down at the baby girl again, Isaac tried to keep his hold relaxed and stress free to comfort his destressed niece, “So what did happen?”

“Hunters attacked them on the outskirt of town,” Noah spoke reminding them all of the other people watching. “Crashed into their car and tried to take Derek down from the looks of it.”

“We’ve been dealing with them for the last six and half years,” Scott added his voice hoarse.

Isaac shuffled uncomfortably as he handed their niece to Cora as she sat down, “We know about your hunter problem.”

“You know?” Scott snapped but Lydia forced him to stay in his seat with a tight grip.

Peter flashed his eyes dangerously at him, “Chris gave us the heads up when we moved to the Santa Rosa area three years ago.”

“Wait Chris knew where you where?” Noah snapped his own anger flaring, “did he know my son was with you?”

“Yes,” Peter shrugged ignoring the other man’s anger, “Stiles’ told him not to say anything.”

Isaac could smell the raising anger from the group, “Peter now isn’t the time! Back down!”

To their surprise Peter did back down, well he scoffed loudly at them before storming off down the corridors. They could only assume to help Deaton with Derek and find out more about the attack.

“Do you think we can all keep a level head?” Isaac snapped quietly sending each of them a look. When he got a nod in return from each of them, he crouched down giving Cora a chase kiss before following the same path Peter had taken.

Sending her own look at Scott and Noah, Lydia took up the seat beside Cora keeping her hands in clear sight and her posture as relaxed as she could manage.

“Hey Cora.”

Cora let out a small laugh titling her head to look at the other women, “Hey Lydia, ignore Isaac he’s turned into a mini Derek.”

“Yeah I can see that,” Lydia smiled ignoring the other men listening in, “Can I ask how long he’s been back?”

“Stiles was heading to see you today you know,” Cora chose to ignore Lydia’s sharp intake, “the rest of the pack was driving up this evening to join them but to answer your question, Isaac moved back six years ago to join the pack.”

“The pack?” Lydia whispered in surprise.

Cora hummed softly smiling down at her niece, “Derek became an alpha after he took out an abusive one not long after he found Stiles. Most of that pack disbanded to others across the country but four of them stayed with Derek. The pups were only 12 at the time.”

She cleared her throat, glancing at Scott for a second, “Are they coming here?”

“Isaac ordered them to stay home.” Scott relaxed at that, he wasn’t sure how he felt about a whole another pack, one bigger than his, coming into town, “They aren’t happy about it.”

“So, he’s been okay?”

“Stiles?” Cora raised an eyebrow, “It took some time, Derek spent months trying to find him. He didn’t want to be found. It’s one of the main reasons Isaac and I moved back to the states.”

Lydia quickly wiped away a stray tear, “I tried to find him.”

“You nearly did,” Cora offered, “if he didn’t go to Europe, you probably would off.”

They could all hear the Sheriff sharp inhale that time.

“It’s been an interesting couple of years,” Cora joked one hand over her pregnant stomach and another supporting the now sleeping baby.

“Why now?” Lydia kept asking herself this question over and over in the past couple of hours.

For the first time Cora looked at the other two men in the room, both of them on seats edge wanting to hear the response.

“Time heals old wounds I suppose” Cora didn’t agree with the decision Stiles and Derek made but she did agree with Stiles’ second reason, “Also it was getting kind of sad how Stiles was keeping an eye on you.”

Lydia cried again as the last sentence was spoken directly to her by Cora.

By the time she stopped crying again, Melissa had informed them Stiles was back in his room. The scans had come back clear so it was only a matter of waiting for him to wake up. He had started responding to stimuli again so didn’t think it would be long. With Cora’s begrudging approval she allowed Scott and the Sheriff to go sit and wait for him.

She wanted to do it herself, but she knew Claudia would want to be with her parents if she could sense them. Lydia opted to sit with her after she went to check on the progress with Derek. Deaton had assured her they were close to working out the blend, but she was shaken by the pale and weaken state she saw Derek in. Lydia was surprised to see none of the Hale pack were reacting badly to her or annoyed about her presence among them. Peter had even walked her back to the waiting room after she shock over Derek.

Eventually the news spread to the rest of the McCall pack but only Malia and Liam actually ventured into the hospital. They both kept a respectful distance from Cora once they arrived, but she wasn’t bothered by the presence. To pass the time she even spoke with them about their lives and found out more about her cousin she had never had the pleasure of meeting. When Malia arrived, she did go looking for her father but after only a few slightly awkward comments she retreated back to the waiting room.

Scott was shocked to see Stiles after all these years. Just like Lydia he could see the boy he had grown up with but also the differences the last seven years had taken. To begin with he barely dared to move from the seat beside the bed, couldn’t bring himself to speak to him. Noah had exchanged a few words to his unconscious son but soon feel into the awkward wait as well. It wasn’t till the Sheriff stepped out to get an update from Parrish did Scott see the first signs of Stiles waking up.

Jumping up to sit on the edge of the bed, Scott watched Stiles nose twitch a few times as he shuffled his whole body on the bed. Seeing Stiles eyes open for a second a close, all Scott wanted to do was start crying. The days emotions finally catching up to him.

“Stiles? Stiles, can you hear me?” he asked quietly urging Stiles to open his eyes again.

Blinking a few times, Stiles eyes began to focus in the harsh artificial lighting. He could hear a voice coming from beside him and groaned as he turned his head towards it.

“Scott?” Stiles whispered, the person the voice belonged to finally coming into focus.

“Hey Stiles,” Scott tone was caught up in emotion, “How you feeling?”

Stiles raised a hand to his head and groaned.

“You’ve got a concussion so your head will probably hurt.”

It took Stiles a second to realise again that it was Scott talking to him.

“Scott?” Stiles gasped in surprise pushing himself up slightly.

Unsure what to do or how Stiles would react, Scott forced himself not to reach out but instead smiled as few tears escaped, “Long time no see buddy.”

Instantly he regretted his words when tears began to fall down Stiles face but before he could back track what he said, Stiles reached out and pulled him into a tight hold. Like muscle memory, Scott returned it burying his face into his Stiles’ shoulder swallowing down his sobs.

“I hate you,” Stiles mumbled into Scott’s neck but didn’t move to break the hold.

“I know, I hate me too,” Scott admitted a sob breaking free this time.

Breaking the hug, Stiles pulled back slowly as he saw the guilt, the pain, and the hurt swimming in Scott’s eyes. He didn’t know what he would do when he finally saw Scott again. He knew he would have either punched him or hugged him. He was glad he went with the second option.

“Stiles?”

Stiles looked behind Scott to see his father frozen in the doorway. Seven years had been a really long time. But it had taken each day of them for him to find the strength to come back again, to move on from the past. To be able to say this without fear or self-loathing.

“Hey dad.”

The Sheriff cried hearing his son’s voice again and he made his way across the room instantly taking up the seat Scott vacated. No words were said as he took his son in his arms. The time for words would come later. They both cried into the hold and Noah didn’t let go until he felt Stiles calm back down. Once he did, he pulled back and helped Stiles sit up in the bed; he could see his son’s eyes darting about in confusion.

“Do you remember what happened?” Noah asked softly.

He knew the moment Stiles memories came rushing back to him, his eyes widening is fear. Before either of them could stop him, Stiles ripped his hands free of the IV and wires monitoring him. Throwing his legs off the side of the bed, Stiles didn’t stop as he swayed and ignored both Scott’s and his dad’s calls. Rushing as quickly as he could, ignoring his throbbing headache, Stiles made his way down the corridors until he came across the waiting room.

Upon his sudden entrance, Lydia, Malia, and Liam jumped up in surprise.

“Stiles! You’re awake,” Lydia called moving forward her eyes darting over his face.

She was ashamed to say she was surprised when as soon as Stiles’ eyes landed on hers, she was yanked into his tight embrace. Holding back just as tightly she let out a wet laugh, her eyes darting to Scott and Noah’s wide ones as they ran into the room themselves. She knew just then that Stiles had ran from his room as soon as he could.

“I’ve missed you Lyds,” Stiles mumbled into her hair, planting a kiss on her crown.

“Not as much as I missed you,” she replied instantly.

Stiles could feel the pack bonds inside him thumbing strongly and he knew his pack was somewhere around here. Pulling out of Lydia’s embrace he was about to demand where they were, demanded where Derek was when Cora returned carrying a freshly changed Claudia in her arms.

“Stiles!” Cora let out a relieved breath she didn’t know she had been holding this whole time. “Thank mother moon you are awake.”

“Takes more than a car crash to keep me down,” he joked half-heartedly reaching for his daughter instantly. Cora happily handed her across, her own tears appearing as she watched father and daughter reunite again.

“Is she okay?” Stiles demanded, using one hand to move her blankets to the side to look her over himself.

“She’s fine,” Cora scented him in hope of calming his racing heart, “the protection charm did its job.”

Stiles sighed looking into his daughter’s eyes and she smiled and kicked happily back in her father’s hold again.

“It’s okay baby,” Stiles soothed bringing his daughter to rest on his chest laying his cheek on top her head. “Daddy’s so sorry for leaving you alone. I’m here now, I’m here.”

Everyone watched them with wet eyes. So much had changed in the time Stiles had been gone and Noah couldn’t take his eyes of his son as he watched Stiles reunite with his daughter.

“Stiles?” Melissa called in surprised. She was heading towards Stiles room when she heard the commotion in the waiting room. She was surprised to see the man himself stood in the center of the room, the baby cradled gently to his chest. Even if he was awake, he shouldn’t be out of bed yet.

Ignoring her, Stiles looked around the room searching before he looked at Cora in fear.

“Where’s Derek?”

No one responded to his question. He tugged desperately on Derek’s bond within him, but he got nothing in response. Stiles’ fear increased ten-fold at the lack of response, he tightened his hold on his daughter.

“Where is my husband?”

Noah had heard Melissa say it. He heard Peter say it but hearing the words come from his son’s own mouth is what ran it home.

“Cora,” Stiles pleaded focusing back on his sister in law, “where is he?”

****

8 months that’s how long Stiles travelled around the globe finding his footing again. He never thought he would see the day when Scott, when his own father, didn’t trust him anymore but here he was. A high school dropout alone in the world unsure with what he wanted in the world. When he first left Beacon Hills under the cover of dark, he knew where he was heading or more like who he was heading for, but he had no way of knowing where they were. In a moment of passion during that first night on the road, he had thrown his phone in a passing lake; it wasn’t till morning did the reality hit that he threw away the only information he had.

He was heading for Derek. Infuriating, scary but not really, Derek Hale. The same Derek Hale who had left them in dessert in Mexico with just a phone number slipped into his back pocket.

For days he tried to remember the number, stopped taking his medication in a last ditch effort but he could only remember the first six digits and there was too many combinations for the remaining. Eventually he gave up and he began picking up the odd jobs across the USA, never staying more than a month at a time. Stiles had met amazing people during that time, people that took him in, gave him food and offered him work but he met the worst of people as well; people he spent hours hiding from cold in the back of his jeep.

Stiles came across other supernatural’s; packs fascinated by a human abandoned by a True Alpha. Many when they heard his story scoffed at the name True Alpha. None of them knew his full name, didn’t know where he travelled from, only he was trying to find his Sourwolf again. He slowly became a living myth, the strange human who would go up against any foe with just a bat in his hand. It was one particular werewolf pack, the Patterson Pack, that set him on this path with his first real chance to find his true pack. They bought him a ticket to England, a ticket to use and track down Jackson to see if he knew where to find Derek.

The day before he left he drove across the state line, withdrew money from the bank account left to him by his mother to see him on his way; all these months he refused to use it in case his father ever needed the money but he couldn’t guarantee work in Europe. The same day he sold his beloved jeep.

Nearly two months after Stiles left the Patterson Pack, they were shocked to find the lost son Derek Hale, son of the she-wolf Talia Hale, on their land. They couldn’t believe that this wolf was the wolf that Stiles had been trying to find. Derek had been trying to find him ever since he returned to Beacon Hills on visit with Peter who was there to see Malia; both older wolves were shocked to hear how many months had already passed by the time they heard.

Jackson was shocked to say the least when Stiles turned up on his doorstop, he knew what had happened, had heard Lydia’s side of the story. He may have joked and teased but Jackson never would have turned Stiles away. Stiles was in England for a week before Jackson handed him another plane ticket, this one heading to Paris. Derek had kept an eye on Jackson through the London Alpha, but they didn’t know where he was or how to contact him. However, when Jackson late one night rang Isaac, he all but demanded Stiles came to him. Isaac had rare contact with Cora, but he needed to see Stiles for different reasons, for his own reassurance; he couldn’t believe what had happened since he left the year before.

When Stiles landed in Paris, he didn’t know what to expect to be greeted with. He certainly didn’t expect to be nearly tackled to the ground by a lanky scarf wearing werewolf. He stayed with Isaac for nearly a month before he managed to scrap together the money to return the states. Isaac managed to get hold of Cora in that time who was back in South America finishing up school, she hadn’t heard from her brother in months either. She even offered to fly Stiles to her, but he refused. Slowly Stiles was giving up on ever finding Derek, wondering if he even wanted to be found by anyone. He always wanted to see New York so that’s where he headed, Stiles didn’t know what to do next but for that was an issue for another day. Maybe he would head back west to the Patterson Pack, he was always welcome there.

Isaac was watching Stiles’ flight take off when his phone rang from an unknown number

“Hello?”

_“Issac.”_

“Derek!” Isaac gasped, finally hearing from the older wolf, “where the hell have you been?”

_Derek didn’t have time for his question, “Is he there? Is Stiles in Paris?”_

_“You know?”_

_“I’ve been chasing him for months, I finally tracked him to a pack out here who said they paid for him to go to London but Jackson says he went to you,” Derek pleaded, “Please Isaac I need to find him.”_

Isaac smiled, no longer seeing the plane anymore, “New York. He’s on a plane to New York right now. Derek find him, he needs you!”

_“I promise you I will.”_

He knew Derek would keep his promise. He knew Derek would find Stiles and heal that broken look on his friend’s face.

Stiles didn’t know what he was doing now in New York. For the first time since he ran away, he was really at a loss on what to do next. He had given up on finding Derek while he was on the plane, he was already lost in the world and he couldn’t hold onto the pipe dream any longer. A part of him would never give up but he knew why Derek left, had understood his reasoning and he was happy for him. At least that’s what he kept telling himself.

The first night he seeked shelter in hostel he had come across, but he barely slept, on edge the whole, he was gone by first light. He spent the day walking the streets on the city, taking in the sights until his feet couldn’t take it anymore. Eventually he found himself sat on a bench watching the sunset over the nature around him. He didn’t even recognise the cold wind that whipped through Central Park as night fell but when his hairs stood end on at the back of his neck, he was instantly awake. He didn’t know if it was the years with the pack or the time spent with other packs, but he knew it was a werewolf. He could hear someone approaching along the footpath behind him and Stiles silently got to his feet and started walked quickly in the other direction.

Feeling a hand grab him, Stiles readied his fighting instinct for what fate had instore of him, but he was shocked when he heard a voice.

“Stiles!”

Spinning around, Stiles couldn’t believe his eyes. Taking in the instantly familiar scent of pinewood, leather and something that reminded him of home.

Chocking on his breath, Stiles shuttered, “Derek?”

“Oh, thank mother moon.”

Stiles didn’t have time to react when he pulled forward and arms wrapped tightly around him, one hand coming up to the back of his head and another holding him close.

“Derek?” Stiles whispered turning his head to bury into the other man’s neck. He didn’t even care when tears streaming down his face turned into sobs and finally broke down after months on the knife edge.

Derek tightened his hold on the broken teen and felt his own eyes prick with tears as well.

“Shhh you’re okay Stiles, you’re okay,” Derek whispered softly, “I’ve got you. I found you, you’re okay.”

Slowly Stiles calmed down and he pushed Derek back slightly, just enough so he could pull a piece a paper out of his pocket, pushing into Derek’s chest.

“What the fucking hell is your number?” Stiles asked voice hoarse from crying and tears still streaming.

It wasn’t till Derek tracked down the Patterson Pack did he learn Stiles was looking for him the whole time, that he wasn’t wondering aimlessly across the states. Stiles lost everything and he went looking for him. He cried when Alpha Patterson told him then and he cried now.

Grabbing the paper, he could see the start of his number in a different colour at the top of the page and hundreds of different combinations littering the rest of the page, both front and back.

“Stiles,” Derek breathed seeing for himself what he had been doing. He pulled the teen back into his hold, scenting him heavily as he did, “I tried to find you as soon as they told me, I never gave up looking. Do you have any idea how many people you have helped? Do you have any idea the number of rumours surrounding you there are?”

Stiles breath hitched but he didn’t comment, and Derek continued.

“A crazy human with only a bat in hand who came and went like the wind,” Derek huffed without any heat, “I found your jeep and that lead me to Patterson Pack who lead me to England which I knew meant Jackson and he lead me to Isaac. 2 minutes, just 2 minutes after you took off, I ring him, and he told me you were here.”

“You really looked for me?” Stiles gasped pulling back, “Wait you found Rosco?”

“I have her,” Derek smiles a hand coming up to cup his cheek, “Bought her off the block you sold her too and Peter drove her home.”

“Home?”

“Utah, I never went far in case you needed me,” Derek smiled a bittersweet smile, “Come home, Stiles. We can figure out the future another day.”

“Derek,” Stiles whispered searching the man’s face.

He didn’t know what he was looking for, but he found it in the werewolf eyes. Stiles didn’t think and he reached him and locked his lips onto Derek’s, no time to pull back in fear of rejection, when the wolf gave the boy who ran as much passion as he could into it.

He was no longer the boy who ran away, no he was the boy who ran with wolves.

***

Cora sighed sifting her extra weight carefully across her legs. Everyone in the room was looking at her but only set of eyes mattered. She could feel his distress along the bond, was all but consumed by the onslaught of fear. Over these last years she had experienced and seen many things from Stiles. Seen him at his happiest and now she saw at his most scared. Even 2 years ago when Derek got injured by Wendigos didn’t compare to this emotion.

Stiles fear slowly began to seep into anger the longer the silence went on. He didn’t move from where he stood but his face began to morph.

“Do not make me pull rank of your Cora,” Stiles warned and to the surprise of McCall pack his left eyes flashed red in warning.

As far as they were aware Stiles was still human but even a human undergoes changes when they become Alpha Mate to a prominent pack.

Cora returned her own glare at his threat, reminding herself that Stiles was just scared for his mate.

“He’s been treated for blood lose and wolfsbane poisoning, a lot of it,” Cora conceded finally, “it appears he took at least six bullets before they took off.”

If the McCall pack thought Stiles was angry before, there wasn’t a word for the look now on his face. The only way to describe it was if you saw it you would run in fear. It was dark and it was angry.

“How?”

“Hunters, every supernatural in this town has a target on their back,” Scott jumped in with wishing he didn’t when Stiles eyes shot to his.

Gone was the bittersweet reunion they just experienced, “You mean your hunters? The same ones you haven’t be able to stop for six years.”

“Hey!” Malia snapped angrily. Everyone in the room held their breath waiting for Stiles reaction. “This isn’t our fault.”

Stiles glare darkened as he passed his daughter wordlessly back to Cora. None one else dared move.

“Watch yourself Malia,” he would only give her one warning, “I am not the person you use to know.”

Malia rolled her eyes despite Scott’s look of warning, “Stiles you’re human.”

He let out a low chuckles that had the others shuffling back a step, Lydia wisely choosing to edge away for her ‘pack’ and towards Cora. Before he could do anything, the doors swung open again and Isaac came storming back into the room.

“What is going on?” he demanded before coming to halt when he saw Stiles in the room, “Stiles?”

Like a switch the anger was gone as Stiles whirled around to Isaac’s voice. Neither of the two men said a word but they all could see the stress be taken over by relief filter across Isaac’s face. Stepping up to him, Isaac threw his arms around Stiles, heavily scenting him just like Cora did.

“I said you shouldn’t have come back here,” Isaac grumbled into Stiles shoulder.

Stiles scoffed returning the hold, “Like this was planned, I was looking for awkward reunions not in hospital waiting rooms.”

“Well you do like the dramatics,” Isaac joked pulling back from the hold with a cocky smile.

Stiles gave him a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “How is he?”

“Derek’s okay,” he replied instantly, his eyes darting to his own mates as he spoke, “Deaton and Peter are finishing up burning out the wolfsbane. He starting to heal again.”

“Still unconscious?” Cora stepped over to their own little huddle.

Isaac’s positivity dimmed, “He lost a lot of blood love.”

“And it’s not like we can do a transfusion,” Stiles concluded rubbing a rough hand across his face.

“Hey,” Cora bumped his hip, “I bet he’s just catching up on all those sleepless nights.”

“Fucking jackass if he is,” Stiles grumbled but he did manage a small smile.

Cora handed him his daughter back to him and indicated her head down the corridor Isaac came from. It was probably best if he didn’t hang around the McCall pack right that moment.

“Room 224,” Isaac spoke in agreement, “I’m going to check in with the pack.”

Stiles nodded mutely before his head shot up, “The pups!”

“Are fine,” Isaac reassured him, “we left Alex in charge since Lucas and Jason where pouting about staying behind. Iz is packing some bags that they are going to bring tomorrow.”

“Who’s a good right hand?” Stiles teased gripping his cheek as he passed him.

Isaac growled at his retreating form, “Bite me Stilinski.”

“It’s Hale,” Stiles yelled back, “and that’s Cora’s job.”

Once Stiles was gone, the couple suddenly remembered there was other people in the room with them. Each watching them with varying emotions on their face.

“I suggest you leave McCall,” Isaac ordered lowly. He didn’t want them there in the first place and especially not now Stiles and soon to be Derek were awake. The whole pack hated their plan to return to Beacon Hills.

Scott looked like he was about to argue when Lydia shot to her feet in front of him, “Don’t, just don’t.”

They didn’t say another word as they left the waiting room. Melissa followed after him before returning a few minutes later. The hospital too noisy for them to pick up on the words said but it was clear that she had told them each off from her angry parental look on her return.

Stiles didn’t know what to expect when he walked in his hospital room. A part of him wanted to make sure that Claudia wouldn’t see her Papi in this state, but another couldn’t part with his daughter. She was clearly distressed by what had gone down and her lack of routine always through her moods off. For such a young baby, she was oddly in tune with what was going on in the world. Holding her close to his chest, Stiles stepped into the room.

Laid up on the bed wearing nothing from the waist up was Derek. He was attached to heart monitor still, but it appeared they had unhooked him from the IV when his healing kicked back in. Stiles doesn’t think he ever had seen his husband so pale. His skin had a greyish tint to it from the lack of blood and he could see multiple bullet wounds slowly knitting back together. He didn’t even try to think how many and how much wolfsbane had gotten into his system because of it.

Peter was stood at the head of the bed watching over his nephew with critical eyes. Once Stiles was close enough to be smelled, Peter turned to him.

“Stiles finally awake from your beauty nap?” Peter teased but Stiles could sense his relief.

“Good to see you too Peter,” Stiles eyes didn’t leave Derek’s unconscious form, “How is he?”

Peter hummed reaching up to scent Stiles and Claudia, “He’s just taking his own beauty nap.”

“Peter enough with the jokes!”

“Your dad’s no fun,” Peter whispered to Claudia, “our dear Alpha is fine now with Deaton’s help. Just give him some time to reproduce about 3 pints of blood.”

Stiles didn’t reply as he took a seat next to the bed, one hand reaching out instinctively for Derek’s. He could see for himself the bad state he was in, he didn’t need to hear the exact details from Peter. Adjusting his daughter in his arms, he edged closer to the bed and brought Derek’s hand towards his chest. It was an awkward angle, but Stiles managed to get it, so Derek’s wrist was laying against their daughter’s cheek. Her alpha and Papi’s scent drifting her off into a gentle sleep.

Watching them with gentle eyes, Peter extracted himself from the room. Derek was in good hands with his family surrounding him. Allowing the alpha time to rest and heal, Peter headed out to Isaac and Cora to handle everything else. It wasn’t till he was already gone did Stiles notice his presence missing.

With Claudia sleeping in one arm, Stiles shuffled again so his other hand could come up to his mate’s face. Running a hand along his stubbled jaw, Stiles breathed in his scent.

“Hey Sourwolf,” Stiles spoke softly as to not wake their daughter, “you just rest for now. We have everything handled out here. This is quite what we had planned for today.”

“You can say that again.”

Stiles jumped at the new voice, but he smiled at the sight of Lydia fidgeting in the doorway. With a final stroke of Derek’s face, he edged back into the chair beside the bed. At the lose of her Alpha’s scent, Claudia began whimpering in her sleep but quietened back down as Stiles soothed her with his own.

Flickering his eyes back to the door, he gave a hesitant smile, “You can come in Lyds.”

She opened her mouth like she was going to argue but closed it and ventured into the room. Sitting down in the second chair beside Stiles.

“Peter left to see Chris and Cora took your dad to get food,” Lydia told him keeping her voice low and eyes on Derek.

“And Isaac?”

“On the phone with some angry teenagers,” Lydia chuckled.

Stiles joined her settling further into the chair. His head was pounding but luckily Lydia didn’t comment. “Yeah the pups, they were giving me grey hairs by 19.”

“I hope to meet them one day.”

“I do too,” he shared a gentle look with her, “this wasn’t how I pictured today going.”

“It’s been seven years. Seven years Stiles.”

“You hate me?”

Lydia scoffed reaching for his hand, “I never hated you, but I wouldn’t say no to an apology shopping trip.”

“Consider it done.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes only the steady beating of Derek’s heartbeat filling the room.

“You married Derek fricking Hale!”

Stiles laughed loudly before covering his mouth with his free hand to avoid waking his daughter. Shotting Lydia a dirty smirk he replied, “I married Derek fricking Hale! We had been mates for a few years already, but it was one hell of day.”

The old best friends shared a look before bursting into quiet laugher again. Lydia sat with them for another half an hour, passing the time with safe topics and when Claudia woke again crying to be feed, Lydia offered to grab the bottle and get Melissa to heat it up for him. Watching her go, Stiles smiled to himself glad he had Lydia back in his life. If anything, he had seen so far, she wasn’t going to let him go again. Iz would love to meet another fashion queen, Stiles mused.

Bouncing Claudia in his arms as a distraction till Lydia returned, Stiles was glad to see more colour return to his husband’s face and could only hope it meant he would be waking soon. He heard footsteps approaching and was shocked when his dad appeared in the doorway instead of Lydia.

Silently Noah held the made-up bottle to his son who took it with a grateful smile. He watched as his son talked to his daughter as he brought the bottle to her mouth, chuckling quietly when she began suckling with earnest.

Neither of say a word as Claudia eats, Stiles humming to her softly as Derek continues to sleep on.

“You’re married,” Noah broke the silence his eyes on his _granddaughter,_ “you have a daughter.”

A few beats passed before Stiles replied.

“I’m married,” he stated as a matter of fact, “I have a daughter.”

Noah swallowed harshly his eyes darting to Derek’s prone form for a second, “you named her Claudia.”

Stiles turned that time to look at his father, “No, her birth mom did.”

****

“Sti why are we out here?” Luke complained dragging his feet along the forest floor.

Stiles rolled his eyes at the kid but kept dragging him along, “Because you were about five minutes away from being killed by your siblings.”

“I could take them,” the boy mumbled.

“Sure, you could pup.”

Eventually they reached the lake and Stiles forced the teen to sit down beside him, both their feet dangling in the water.

“You know,” Stiles started relaxing back against the bank, “you are a lot like Derek, he used to struggle with his anger as well.” Luke looked at him in disbelief and Stiles laughed, “Trust me the Derek Hale I first meet had a habit of throwing me against walls.”

Luke laughed despite himself, “Seriously?”

“Oh yeah,” Stiles hummed with a grin before he turned serious, “you have got to stop allowing your anger to control you.”

“I know,” Luke looked down ashamed, “I am trying, I promise.”

“We know pup, we just want what’s best for you is all,” Stiles reached out scenting the teens neck.

He was about to break the tension and cheer the younger boy up when the something came crashing along the riverbank not far from them. Instantly the young werewolf was on alert, claws out eyes blue and Stiles bit down a scoff when Luke stepped in front of him. Unsure what was coming, Stiles pulled on the invisible strings within him to alert the rest of the pack.

“Lucas back down,” Stiles ordered when he saw what was approaching them.

Stumbling along the bank was a women wearing nothing more than a bloodly dress and the black spider webs across her body told him she was riddled with wolfsbane. She was a werewolf, one that had been attacked.

The women’s head shot up weakly when she picked up on another wolfs scents.

“Help me, please help me,” she shuttered out stumbling to her knees.

Moving with the speed of a werewolf, Luke had his arms around her before she hit the ground. Stiles inhaled sharply when the women revealed a bloody new-born in her arms.

“Please help me,” she whimpered shaking Stiles from his shock.

“It’s okay,” Stiles moved to support the women’s arms holding the baby in a show of trust. A new werewolf mother was extremely protective of their pups. “We’re the Hale pack we can help you. What’s your name?”

“Rebecca, you’re the Hales?” Rebecca sobbed in relief. She knew the Hales and she pushed her baby into Stiles arms, shocking the human beyond means.

“Luke grab her,” Stiles ordered getting back to his feet. Once the woman was secure, they took off quickly through the forest.

Stiles weren’t surprised when another figure come spiriting towards them out of the treeline.

“What happened?” Derek demanded eyes scanning his mate and beta for injury before looking at the women and baby

“Hunters,” Rebecca whimpered, “they killed my whole pack. My mate died so I could get away.”

“Oh god,” Luke mumbled in disgust as Derek grabbed Rebecca from his arms. She weakly flashed her new red eyes to express her point.

By the time they got to the house, the rest of their pack were stood outside awaiting. Derek didn’t spare them a glance as he carried on running inside, Luke close to his hip.

“Isaac get the medical kit,” he ordered over his shoulder.

Stiles looked at them before looking back down at the screaming baby in his arms. Passing her across to an unexpected Alex he ordered him, “Get her cleaned up. Make sure to wrap her tightly in towels and blankets to keep warm.”

He didn’t stick around to see his look of fear or Cora move over to help him. Following after Derek, he headed into the medical room they had set up. Rebecca was lying on the bed, Peter helping Derek grab supplies from cupboards while Isaac put pressure on the wounds. Moving to the head of the bed, Stiles grabbed Rebecca’s hand tightly in his in a form of reassurance.

“We heard the Hales were in the area,” Rebecca mumbled barley able to keep her eyes open, “my pack was a travelling one.”

Stiles tried to smile sharing a look of concern with Derek, “I’ve always wanted to meet a travelling pack.”

“Keeps you on your toes,” she tried to joke.

Derek moved back to the table while Isaac and Peter braced her arms and legs. Lifting up the jaw of wolfsbane, Derek turned to the other alpha, “This is going to hurt.”

“No shit,” Rebecca sneered.

Chuckling slightly, Derek began to pour the wolfsbane into the wounds but too all their horror it did nothing. Neither did the other two types of wolfsbane they kept on hand. Hunters were getting crafty.

“Special blend,” Rebecca mumbled, saying the words none of them wanted to admit. 

Silently Isaac and Peter backed out the room, they knew what this meant. There was no way they would find the hunters in time to get a bullet.

“I am so sorry,” Derek murmured, and Stiles bite his cheek to avoid arguing it. He knew deep down there was nothing they could do.

“Fucking hunters,” Rebecca gasped, “I give birth two hours ago in the woods and this is what kills me.”

Stiles inhaled sharply, “What?”

“Not how I imagined giving birth,” she admitted her eyes darting around the room, “where’s my baby?”

“One of our pack is cleaning them up,” Stiles replied, and Derek assured her he would go get them.

Stiles tried to make her comfortable while they waited for Derek to return. When he did, the baby was still screaming but now wrapped in a fluffy towel and blanket. Once placed on their mother’s chest their cries instantly calmed back down to little whimpers.

“My baby girl,” Rebecca cried, tears flowing freely down her checks. It broke the couple’s heart to watch the mother and daughter.

Chocking up black blood, Rebecca closed her eyes and excepted her fate she had been given. She titled her head to the side and indicated for Stiles to grab her daughter. Silently unsure what else to do Stiles grabbed the child who began to cry loudly again in his hold.

More tears flowing Rebecca forced herself to give up her child and turned to Derek, “I need you to kill me.” Derek face dropped in horror. “Please if you don’t then the alpha spark will go to my daughter. She will be a wonderful Alpha one day but let her be a child first.”

Stiles watched in horror as his mate nodded silently in agreement. He wanted to scream, he wanted to argue but he didn’t. He just sat in dread of what was about to happen.

“Promise she will be safe? That the Hales are as good as they say you are.”

Reaching forward to grip Rebecca’s hand, Derek swallowed his own sobs, “I promise you.”

“Then I can die happy.”

Stiles couldn’t suppress his own sobs and Rebecca weakly turned to him coughing up more black blood, “What’s her name?”

“Claudia.”

He knew his mate was watching him now, wearing the same face of surprise and dread. Swallowing his tears, he couldn’t watch what came next. Pressing the baby close to his chest, he looked away as Derek went on as painlessly as possible.

The baby would scream for three days, would barely sleep and then she stopped. At two in the morning, Stiles walked the length of their room bare chested Claudia screaming against it; Derek came up behind him wrapping his arms around them both, a hand coming up to cup Claudia’s face. She would turn her nose into Derek’s wrist, stop crying and peacefully fall asleep in their joint hold.

Two am, Stiles and Derek became parents to Claudia Rebecca Hale.

****

“It was like a sign from mom,” Stiles whispered running a finger down a now sleeping Claudia.

Noah nodded blinking away his tears before they could fall, “It would seem so.”

Looking at his father, he could see how he aged in the last seven years.

“A sign to come back, that’s what we were doing,” Stiles kept eye contact, “We were bringing Claudia to meet her Aunt Lydia but also meet her grandpa.”

“We have a lot more to discuss. A lot to apologise for.”

“We have time,” Stiles smirked, “I would let you hold her, but I don’t think the new scents on his daughter would do Derek any good when he wakes up.”

Noah eyes dart back to Derek unconscious form, as they been talking, he had continued to improve. He looked almost sleeping now.

“Probably a good idea son.”

They didn’t have to wait long before Derek showed signs of re-joining the conscious world again. Stiles was the first to notice. Their muted bond suddenly came back to life while he was telling his dad about the rest of the pack.

Sitting forward abruptly, his hand reaching for Derek, Stiles watched for any signs of life.

“Derek?” he whispered getting up from his seat. Noah watched in confusion, he couldn’t see any change from the werewolf, but its obvious Stiles could.

Seeing his mate’s hands clench, his claws extending and extracting, Stiles let out a breathy laugh.

“Sweetheart open your eyes,” Stiles whispered cupping Derek’s face. He saw his husband’s red eyes open a slither before closing again when they re open they are back to their normal deep hazel, “there you are Sourwolf.”

“Stiles,” Derek coughed clearing his throat and focusing his eyes on his mates.

Leaning forward, Stiles kissed his forehead, “Hey Alpha, you back with us?”

Nodding mutely Derek seemed confused for a second before his eyes snapped open again in fear, “Hunters!”

Reacting quickly, Stiles manoeuvred Claudia onto Derek’s chest, her face laying beside his scent gland. The movement woke her, but her Alpha’s direct scent calmed any cries before they were released. With one hand supporting their daughter’s back, Stiles brought the other to Derek’s cheek, forcing his husband to look at him.

“You did your job Alpha, you protected us. We are right here,” he reassured smiling as his husband relaxed under his touch.

Slowly raising a hand, Derek placed it along Stiles on their daughter and breathed in her earthy cinnamon scent. Blinking awake the last of his confusion, he allowed Stiles to help him sit up in the bed. Noah discreetly controlled the bed to title up right but it was clear the couple were oblivious to his presence in the room.

Stiles chuckled when Derek glared at the gauze he forgotten was along his hair line, catching his Alpha’s fingers before they touched it. “Not all of us have super healing Der.”

“Don’t joke,” he sniffed picking up on Stiles pained scent. Moving his free hand to rest on his mates neck, Derek scented him as he drew the pain away.

Smiling gratefully as his headache receded, Stiles rested his forehead against Derek, “I love you, you big softie.”

“Love you too Red,” Derek whispered leaning up to close the gap and kiss his husband.

There was no stopping the tears this time as Noah edged silently away. The door was thrown open within seconds as Isaac and Cora threw themselves on the bed now they could feel their Alpha was awake. Peter was close behind but didn’t join in on the reunion but he did clasp his nephews hand tightly when Derek held it out him. Silently the Sheriff slipped out the room to where Lydia was stood in the corridor watching them through the window. This was all he wanted for his son, a home where he was safe and loved. He might have failed seven years ago but Stiles forged his own safe heaven, his own pack.

****

A few days passed and the Hale pack stayed in town, back in Derek’s old loft that had been recently renovated for comfort. Stiles told his dad as they were leaving the hospital that they got it fixed up the month before as somewhere to stay when they came to town. Noah had hoped they would stay with him but the incident didn’t make the last seven years disappear. There was still a lot of negative emotions they needed to sort through first.

They left the Hale’s alone once they left the hospital. It was clear the pack needed time as just the pack. Parrish had seen Stiles and Isaac at the train station the following morning picking up the rest of their pack but Scott had the brains enough to keep his pack far away from the preserve. As Peter rudely reminded him that it was still Hale land, Scott never taking a claim to it. He didn’t even know that was something he should have done.

Not all of them left the Hale’s alone, no one had seen Lydia since the hospital and it was safe to assume she was with them. Like Stiles or Lydia was going to let each other out of their sight now they were back together. She never had a place with the McCall’s, never trusted them after they driven Stiles out of town. Noah wouldn’t be surprised to hear she joined them. At the hospital, Derek all but forced her to hold their daughter; he always liked Lydia, she was a huge help in helping him find Stiles all those years ago.

The Sheriff was surprised when he woke one morning to find Stiles on his doorstep with Derek and Claudia. He finally got to meet his granddaughter for the first time. They talked for those few hours, not everything was covered but it was a start. Once they got the heavy stuff out the way, they ended up on agreeing to do a cook out that night. The promise of food had the rest of the Hale’s racing over to them and Stiles called Scott inviting them if Malia promised to behave.

It was early evening and the back yard was teeming with people, conversations and laughter filling the air. In charge of the grill Noah stood talking with Peter as they kept an eye on the meat cooking. Safely away from the fire, Derek sat on the grass with Claudia on her playmate, Lydia sat next to them playing with the rattle and pulling faces with the little girl. Claudia seemed all too distracted by Lydia’s hair then the toys, constantly reaching out to play with it much to their amusement.

Sprawled across the grass, Liam talked excitedly with Jason and Luke about lacrosse while Iz and Alex whined about the ongoing conversation. Cora sat with them, a hand resting on her bump and shared a smile with Stiles across the lawn. He knew Liam would get on with the pups, only three years between him and Luke. A budding bromance if he ever saw one. The rest of McCall pack including Melissa was joining them later after they finished up at their jobs.

When Scott entered the yard, he took up the empty chair beside Stiles and Isaac tensed on his other side. Everyone was discreetly watching the once brothers without finishing their own conversations. Scott didn’t say a word to begin with but eventually he silently held out a packet of Reese’s to Stiles. Despite himself, Stiles laughed and took the packet showing Scott an olive branch. It was a stupid thing from their childhood, that they bought the other Reese’s when the messed up. They both knew it would take more than that.

Opening the packet and handing one back, a familiar smile passed between Scott and Stiles.

It’s hope.


End file.
